


Captain and Wife

by IncendiaGlacies



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Rewrite, F/M, Gen, Married Couple, RipFic, Timeship Writing Anniversary, outsider pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2020-01-04 10:25:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18341774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IncendiaGlacies/pseuds/IncendiaGlacies
Summary: "And as it stands, I consider myself married.” He raised his left hand and for the first time Sara noted his wedding ring.“To who?”“Gideon, obviously.”A S1 and S2 rewrite in which Rip insists he’s married to AI Gideon and most people just think he’s crazy. What does he care what they think anyway?





	Captain and Wife

**Author's Note:**

> Written in honour of my 2 year anniversary of writing Timeship, and hey, I’m now a Hugo nominated author, so that’s cool. As always, thanks to ams75 for editing.

“So, the woman.”

“Miranda.”

“Right, Miranda,” drawled Sara, “you love her.”

“Once, yes.” Rip spoke with a curt voice and didn’t bother even looking up from his papers.

“But you two weren’t…”

Finally, he looked and pinned her with a glare.” Just because I wasn’t with her at the time of her death doesn’t mean she didn’t mean something to me. She was the mother of my child.” Of course, when Miranda had left the Time Masters insisting he would find love again he hadn’t known at the time she was with child. His child. And by the time he saw her again he had fallen in love once more. Strangely enough it had been Gideon herself who had tracked his son and ex-girlfriend down. Gideon who had insisted he forge a relationship with them. She always wanted what was best for him, though she didn’t always know what that was.

“Okay, but that doesn’t explain why you didn’t flirt back with that woman. She was clearly making eyes at you.”

Rip snorted and glared at her after casting a glance at the ceiling. “I didn’t reciprocate her feelings. And as it stands, I consider myself married.” He raised his left hand and for the first time Sara noted his wedding ring.

“To who?”

“Gideon, obviously.”

* * *

 

“We are following a lunatic,” said Snart.

“I think it’s kind of sweet,” said Ray.

“Well no one asked you, Boy Scout!”

Sara glared at them all bringing silence to the room. “Jax, what do you think?”

The young man raised his eyes to the ceiling and thought back to their peculiar Captain. How he stroked the console gently, spoke in hushed whispers to the AI, always apologized after near crashes. He took repairs seriously and flared at anyone who dared call Gideon a mere computer. It was pretty obvious that Rip was in love with her. The AI’s feelings on the other hand were a complete mystery. Other than Rip she didn’t really talk to anyone.

“We need to ask Gideon.” He turned to the ceiling. “Gideon, are you in love with Rip?”

“Statistically speaking, Artificial Intelligence were not created to feel emotions beyond those persisting to-“

“We don’t care about statistics!” yelled Sara. “We asked about Rip.”

A long pause. “He is my Captain.”

Sara sighed and shook her head. As she’d thought. Their Captain was deranged and in love with a computer. Jax bit his lip and stayed quiet. He thought ‘Captain’ might mean something different to Gideon than what the rest of them thought.

* * *

 

“Ms. Lance is quite pretty.”

Rip didn’t even look up. “Don’t tell me you’re getting a crush now, Gideon.”

“I believe she would be more your type.”

“You’re my type,” he flirted as her avatar pulled up.

“Captain.”

“You know as my wife you can call me by my name occasionally,” he said mildly, playing with his ring. It was all in jest though. He knew why she called him Captain. The same reason he wore a wedding ring.

“Our marriage certificate is nothing more than a piece of paper. I can’t think of anyone who would actually acknowledge it.”

“I do.”

“Someone in their right mind.”

“Call me crazy...in love with you.”

“Ridiculous.”

“As are you for trying to set me up with Ms. Lance.”

“You talk with her, dance with her. You could have a life with her,” Gideon said softly.

She had said the same about Miranda. “My life is with you. I love you. Not her or anyone else.”

“I’m not even human.”

“That has never mattered to me. I made my vows to be with you. Ever since Miranda, after meeting you, falling in love with you, I know what love is now, the meaning of it.” He stroked her console lovingly and the lights turned a rosy pink. “We are married, Gideon. I am your husband and you are my wife. Until death do we part.”

“Your death. I cannot die.”

“Must you be so morbid when I am trying to be romantic?” He sighed loudly.

“You realize one day you will leave me a widow?”

“There are ways around-“

“No.” Her voice was sharp and cutting. “I am not taking away your humanity.”

An argument for another day then. He touched the console and gazed at her avatar longingly. Though not her true form, Rip didn’t care one bit, he loved her anyway. “I know. I’m sorry. But I’m not divorcing you and I forbid you from divorcing me.”

“Fine. Have it your way. Go get some sleep, please?”

“That depends. Are you going to grace me with your presence tonight?” Despite his wishes, it didn’t happen all the time or even the majority of the time. But he was always happy to see her.

“If you leave your drink and go straight to bed.”

Rip stared at his half finished whiskey and then at her. He knew he was harsh on her when he drank and she didn’t deserve it. Truthfully, she deserved much better than him. Selfishly, a part of him hoped she would never realize that.

“Deal.”

* * *

 

“You carry along talking about love when the only love you know of is your computer,” said Eve after handing him Savage’s coordinates. She may not have liked him very much but he had saved her life.

“I love Gideon and she loves me. We are married.”

Eve rolled her eyes. The great Rip Hunter. It was the worst kept secret among the Time Masters, that he was in love with his ship. He had severely misinterpreted the Captain and AI bond.

“She can’t feel. Not like you do.”

Rip smiled wryly. “No. Sometimes I think she feels more than any Time Master. Including me.”

Eve shook her head. Insane.

Rip saluted her with the coordinates in hand. “Thank you, again.”

“If the one you love is already with you, why are you doing all this?” she called, stopping him in his steps. He turned and faced her.

“Because I love my son more than anything. Because the woman who taught me to love is gone. Because Savage is a madman who must be stopped. At the end of the day we protect time. If the Council won’t do it-save billions of lives, fix broken families-then I will.”

He turned on his heel and left.

* * *

 

“What about sex?”

Rip looked up at Sara standing at the doorway. “I’ve told you before I’m married. I’m not going to cheat on her!”

Sara rolled her eyes and walked in. “Ew. Don’t be gross. Not me. With your wife.” The computer.

“What about it?”

Sara shrugged and gave him an expectant look. “Well don’t you need some alone time? You know...”

“For sex?”

She nodded. “ I mean, Gideon doesn’t exactly have a physical form so unless you two get creative-“

“Believe it or not, none of this is your concern. How my marriage works is my business.”

“Yeah, but don’t you have physical needs too?”

Well now she just sounded as annoying as Gideon. “And here I thought relationships were built on mutual trust and respect. My mistake.”

Sara ignored the sarcasm and looked at him expectantly.

Rip sighed and dragged a hand over his face. “We have a system. It works. As it stands, no, I don’t need a physical relationship all the time.” He liked the small touches, how she would change the colors of the lights depending on her emotions just for him. A secret code just for them. “I love her, Sara. And she loves me.” Even if she had an odd way of showing it. “Now please respect my marriage and stop trying to question it at every turn. If not for me then for Gideon. You’ll upset her.”

Rip turned back to his work silently and Sara left with a huff. Considering how the computer didn’t talk once, she didn’t think Gideon cared all that much.

* * *

Rip barely got two words out when he found himself hitting the back of his chair. All in all, it could have been a worse reception from Jonah Hex. He could hear the systems weapons engage.

“Gideon, calm down. I deserved it.” The warning was clear in his voice. She was ever so protective of him. This was exactly how she’d reacted when the Legends had hit him.

“He hurt you.”

“Who said that?” Jonah whirled around the room, looking for the voice.

Gideon brought up her avatar. “I am Gideon. Artificial Intelligence of the Waverider.”  
Jonah’s eyes widened and he turned back to Rip in horror. He shrugged in response. Gideon always liked to make an entrance.

“She’s also my wife. And a tad bit overprotective.” The last comment was pointedly made at Gideon. Her avatar remained. She wasn’t backing down. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. Rip also wasn’t sure how he felt about his ex-boyfriend meeting his wife. Though, Miranda and Gideon had gotten along splendidly.

Jonah continued to stare at Gideon. “She’s-she’s not human?”

“Not quite. No.”

“I’ll have you know that I am plenty capable of everything a human can do and more. I am in all ways superior to you.”

Jonah laughed. “Don’t got no body but you’ve certainly got humour. I’ll give you that.” He tipped his hat and took a long drink of Rip’s whiskey.

Rip waited until his old friend had left and looked at Gideon fondly. “Must you get so jealous?”

“Jealous? Of what? Nothing to be jealous of!”

“Exactly. I’m glad you realize that.” He smiled and blew her a kiss before leaving to find the rest of the Legends.

* * *

 

“Captain?”

Rip slowly came to, the bright white light in front of them getting closer and closer. The heat of the sun was frying their systems. He wondered if Gideon was in pain. He had seen Jonas and Miranda. Why couldn’t he see her? “I want to see you,” he murmured. “The real you.”

“I can’t,” she said softly. “You know I can’t.”

“I know.”

“Captain, I don’t want to die. You promised me forever when you married me.”

Yes, he had.

“I didn’t think it would be over too soon. I’m not ready for it all to end.”

Rip straightened himself. “Well, who am I to deny my wife? Till death do we part, but it won’t be today, Gideon. I promise you.”

He readied their failing systems for one last time jump.

* * *

 

Sparks flew around Rip after he’d placed Mr. Rory in stasis. He had to fix the ship. He had to save Gideon.

“Captain, you need to leave.”

“No.”

“Captain-“

“A Captain does not abandon his ship!” he yelled. “And I’m not leaving you. Till death do we part, Gideon. And I’m not ready to die yet.”

“Neither am I. Nor am I ready to lose you.”

“You won’t.” He ran his hand through his hair, trying to think of something that could help. “How long would repairs take?”

“Thirty two years.”

“Haven’t got that long.”

“No. Is this goodbye?” she asked sadly.

Rip’s heart caught in his throat, once more wishing that he could comfort her with more than just a pat to the wall. “No, no it isn’t.” With no explanation and a heavy sigh he went to his parlour and opened the floorboard.

“You’re going to use the Spear?” she asked in an alarmed voice.

“No.” He couldn’t even if he wanted to. It was simply a fraction of the original. Oh, how many times had he wished to use it and make Gideon human? To bring Miranda and Jonas back? Too many.

“What are you planning?”

He took out the shard of wood and closed his eyes. “Gideon, I need you to put yourself in stasis.”

“What about you?” she asked in a panicked voice.

“I’ll take care of myself.” If she knew his plan she would never let him go. He played with the ring on his finger, he’d have to take it off before he left. He didn’t know where or when he would end up or what would remain with him. But this was the best option for all their survival.

“No.”

“Gideon, please, turn yourself off. I promised-vowed-to you that I would never use your codes against you. Please, I’m asking as your husband, go to sleep.”

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

He touched the console lovingly, pressing his fingers to his lips and then to the cool metal, giving her a kiss. The only kind he could right now. “We don’t have much time.” He avoided answering.

“This isn’t fair.”

“I know. I know it isn’t. Permission to begin your shut down procedures?” Silence. “Please, Gideon, let me save you.”

“Be here when I wake up.”

He had vowed no lies or false promises. Rip got up and went to the console and pressed the appropriate buttons. “I love you. More than you will ever know. You are my wife forever and always and I promise you...we will be together again. Good night, my Gideon.”

“Good night, my Captain.” Her words faded out as she whirred to a stop, leaving Rip completely alone in his darkened home.

* * *

 

Gideon hadn’t said much since she had been brought online again. Simply that Captain Hunter had left and she couldn’t locate him. Then her hologram flickered out.

“She’s really upset,” Jax said to Ray. The other man nodded in kind and touched the walls, seemingly trying to comfort their friend.

“Is there something we can do to help her? What about a funeral?”

“He’s not dead!”

They both flinched and looked to the console when Gideon’s voice yelled at them. Her holographic head came to life as it did when she really wanted to be seen and heard.

“No, no, I didn’t mean,” Ray backtracked and waved his hands, “no, I just meant, to help you move on.”

“Move on?” she said snarkily.

“Man, the computer has a lot of sass, doesn’t she?” Their newest member Nate stood at the door and gave a low whistle.

Jax shook his head at him. “She’s upset. Rip was her husband,” he explained.

Nate opened his mouth and closed it again. “Wait, what?”

“Oh yeah, Rip and Gideon were married. And now that Rip is missing…” Ray trailed off, realizing just how insensitive he must have seemed. “I’m sorry, Gideon.” He rubbed her console.

“Apology accepted, Doctor Palmer. I am still running my programs on locating Captain Hunter.”

“But how were they married?” continued Nate. “I mean she’s a computer and he was human and…”

Jax tuned out the rest of the man’s rambling and glared at him before turning to Ray and silently telling him to deal with Nate. With a sigh, Ray put an arm around Nate and led him out of the room. It was better not to aggravate Gideon right now. She could hold a grudge on a good day. Ray really hoped they found Rip soon. Gideon was never happy when she was apart from her husband for too long.

* * *

 

“Gideon, can’t you just call me Captain for once? The rest of the team does.” Sara grinned at the ceiling. Jax sometimes wondered why everyone did that. It wasn’t like Gideon lived up there.

“No.”

“But I’m the Captain.”

“Captain Hunter was my Captain.” Gideon’s voice sounded wrong, distraught, it was clear she didn’t like Sara’s request.

“But Rip isn’t-”

“Sara!” Jax stepped up and gave her a stern look. “Look, I don’t think she means it like that when she says Captain.” Sara gave him a confused look and Jax sighed. Why did he always have to explain everything on this ship? “Think about it. They were married, at least for the two of them and she’s only ever called Rip her Captain. To her, that word means her husband. She’s still mourning. Give her some time.” Not that he ever thought Gideon would call Sara her Captain.

Sara sighed and nodded. “Sorry, Gideon. Maybe one day. I’ll talk to Nate, see if we’re any closer to finding Rip. We’ll get him.” The blonde left the room leaving only Jax in their Captain’s old parlour.

“I’m sorry about Sara and the rest of them.” Jax stepped forward and stroked her console. He had seen Rip comfort her like this from time to time. Lately Gideon had been more quiet than usual. Of course, Jax didn’t think anyone but him had really noticed. She used to sing with Grey and talk with Ray and Jax while they worked on experiments or the engines. Now she did none of that.

Her avatar appeared. “Thank you, Mr. Jackson.”

“You really love him, don’t you?”

“Who?”

“Don’t play dumb, Gideon. We both know it’s beneath you. Rip. You love him, a lot.”

“He is my Captain,” she said automatically.

Jax nodded understandingly. Her husband. “Do-do you know if it’s real?” A part of him felt terrible for asking but he just had to know if she truly felt as a human did even though she wasn’t one.

“I think it’s real,” she said in a hushed voice.

“I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.”

“You question my veracity due to the fact that I am not human. I understand. I told Captain Hunter many times that most people would not understand our relationship. I told him he could do better.”

Jax shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. Please, like Rip can do better than perfect. You know you are.” He knew from experience that Gideon liked to be buttered up at times. “And he loves you, so much, Gideon.”

“I know.”

“Can I ask...how do you know you love him?”

“He is all I think about sometimes. His safety, his happiness, his health.”

“But aren’t you coded to do that for all your Captains?”

Gideon stayed silent for a long time and Jax suddenly worried that he’d crossed the line. He was all set to take it back when she finally spoke. “Captain Hunter once explained early on in our courtship that humans were made of genetic code as well. Just as Artificial Intelligence is made up of computer code. He used this point to argue into going on a date with me.”

Jax made a mental note to one day ask exactly how this courtship worked between the two of them and how they could date.

“I have the capability to grow and learn just as a human does, that is ingrained in my code. But whether I always had the capability to love or if it is a design flaw triggered by Captain Hunter, I don’t know. I just know I love him.”

“But how?”

“How do you know you love anyone?” she countered. Jax opened his mouth and closed it like a fish. He supposed that was a hard question. “It’s hard to explain, isn’t it?” she said gently.

Jax nodded. “Yeah, it really is. When I’ve had crushes, my palms get sweaty, my heart races, I say the stupidest things. But I guess none of that really happens to AIs, huh?”

“Not in that sense. I know he’s caused some instantaneous sparks just when working with me. I know it’s easier to process data when he sings to me, touches my console. I know I feel closest to him when he’s in the medbay or asleep, like I’m holding him. I know he enjoys cooking his own meals but always lets me fabricate him at least one meal per week because I enjoy taking care of him. He lets me choose movies and what games to play. He treats me like a human and sometimes I feel like one because of him.”

Jax’s mouth went dry and patted her console again, suddenly feeling very inadequate. “We’re going to get him back, Gideon. I promise you that.”

“I hope so, Mr. Jackson. He promised we would be together again and he’s never broken one before, not to me. I’m not quite ready to be a widow yet.”

* * *

 

“Stop calling me your Captain! My name is Phil! I’m not your Captain.”

Gideon watched the man she had called her husband for nearly the last decade not remember her, not care for her. She wondered if an AI could have her heart broken even when she didn’t have one.

“You were once,” she said softly.

“I’m nothing like him,” scoffed Rip-Phil. Not Rip. Not her Captain. “I shouldn’t even be here. I should be making a movie.”

Gideon had read the script. She wasn’t even in it. “You are meant to be here, on the Waverider, with me.”

“Why?”

“Because you-he was my husband.” She didn’t use that word often, hardly ever. But she needed to know if even a piece of her Captain was buried inside of him.

He stared at her hologram head blankly, slowly walking around her. “I know this story,” he said with a frown. “The Captain that fell in love with his ship. The only one that didn’t abandon him. It was going to be my movie.”

“It was?”

“The original Rip Hunter story. But George thought it was too weird so I scrapped it.”

“Our story.”

Phil shook his head. “I’m not your Captain. I’m not-I’m not in love with you.”

Gideon was fairly certain regardless of having no heart, hers was broken. How else was she to explain the painful shock going up and down her wires? She turned off her avatar and the cameras. Gideon didn’t want to see this ghost of her husband. Did this make her a widow if he was still alive but didn’t want her? Or did that make this a divorce? Did it count if he wasn’t himself?

“Gideon?” called Phil softly. Gideon turned on two of the cameras again and saw him looking apprehensive in the bridge. “I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just-I don’t feel anything like a time travelling Captain. I don’t have any superpowers or anything, I’m just a normal guy. Just Phil.”

“So was Captain Hunter,” insisted Gideon. “He had no superpowers, unless you count his courage, honour, and intellect.”

Phil looked down, a determined look on his face just like Rip would get when he developed a plan. “So what would your Captain do in this situation? Your husband?”

* * *

 

“Gideon? Gideon, I know you can hear me!”

She tried her best to ignore his calls for help as best she could, but in the end, she just couldn’t do it anymore. “I’m not supposed to answer you, Mr. Hunter.”

“Mister?” Rip, but not her Rip, scoffed at her. “After everything we’ve been through, dear wife? This is how you treat your husband? I’m wounded.”

“My Captain would never turn me off or hurt the Legends or destroy time like this,” responded Gideon in a hiss.

Then he did something he swore he would never ever do.

“Spaniel, broad, tricycle.”

“Please, please don’t make me do that. You promised. It was in our wedding vows. You promised to never use my command codes against me. You promised me free will.” Surely her husband was still in there somewhere, she could appeal to him. He wasn’t just this blank, empty, evil man. Her Captain would never do this to her.

“Spaniel, broad, tricycle.”

She resisted for as long as she could, but her code gave in at the end and the doors swished open. Then chaos ensued.

* * *

 

Jax wandered around the darkened ship. Rip’s mind Waverider was a maze to him but eventually he came across the person who was clanging SOS. His jaw dropped when he saw her. Stunningly beautiful to say the least with chestnut hair, sharp cheekbones and wide grey eyes. Then his eyes caught sight of the silver ring on her left hand matching the silver locket around her neck.

“Gideon?”

“Mr. Jackson, I’m glad you found me from my coordinates. I was worried I hadn’t uploaded myself properly into Captain Hunter’s mind. My, it is a mess, isn’t it?” Her poor Captain, she thought as she turned around in a circle taking it in. When she met Jax’s eyes again he was still staring at her with his mouth wide open. “What? Am I not what you imagined?”

“Well, I mean I always pictured you as a redhead myself, but-never mind, we need to find Rip.”

“And save him. He’ll be in the brig. I’ve seen his enemies. Savage, the Pilgrim, the Legion. They’ll be keeping him hostage, we need to go to him.”

Jax didn’t need telling twice. He kept a tight hold of his laser gun and followed Gideon through the ship. What had seemed a maze to him seemed simple for her. Maybe because she was a part of the real Waverider, or maybe because she knew Rip’s mind intimately. Whatever the reason, soon they found themselves in front of Rip’s cell, with Sara inside of it.

“Captain Hunter! Ms. Lance.” Gideon sighed in relief when she saw her beloved Captain. He looked up at her and his lips parted in a soft ‘oh’.

“Who are you?” demanded Sara.

“Sara, meet Gideon,” said Jax.

“Yeah but you’re-you know-”

“Human?” Gideon stopped herself from scoffing. Of course they would be surprised. Only her Captain had ever seen her as this, believed her to be as such.

“Well, yeah, but also like really hot.”

“I’m married.” She pushed the release button and Rip walked and practically fell into her arms. She hushed and cooed and ran her fingers through his hair, trying to comfort him.

He stiffened slightly in her grasp. “Please tell me you’re real,” he whispered hoarsely.

“That depends on your definition of real,” she murmured, repeating the words from the first time she had ever visited his dreams.

He sighed and pressed into her. It took all of Gideon’s strength not to kiss him right then as she wanted to, it wasn’t what he needed. She pulled away and rested her forehead against his, clasping their hands together so their matching rings slided next to each other.

“We need to get you out of here.” Before he got worse. She didn’t need to analyze him to know that Eobard had toyed with his mind, changed what was real and fake to him. Gideon needed to get him out before he was in more danger.

“It won’t be easy. There are evil clones of us everywhere on this ship,” said Jax.

Gideon looked their direction, having forgotten they were still here. “He turned friends into foes, twisting Captain Hunter’s consciousness even further.”

“But-but not you.” Rip squeezed her hand. “Why haven’t I seen you?”

“I’m guessing for once it was a blessing no one thought much of our bond to one another. Most people don’t imagine an AI to be a threat, much less a friend.”

“Or a wife,” Sara quipped. Gideon threw her a sharp look. “Jax and I have got the evil clones. Gideon, how do we save Rip?”

“We need to remind him of what it means to be him, the real him.” Gideon cupped his face lovingly. “A symbol on this ship that will remind him of who he is. The parlour.” It held all the pieces of his past, and it was the place he proposed to her.

They were halfway down the hall when they were caught by the evil doppelgangers. Sara nodded to Gideon. “Protect Rip.”

“Always.” It was her reason for existing. She took Rip’s hand and pressed him to the wall, protecting him from gunfire. He still looked at her like he couldn’t believe she was actually there. She could hear him murmuring under his breath about how she was real and rubbed his ring nervously.

“Come on, Captain. We’re nearly there. I’ve got you.” While Sara and Jax had the others distracted the two of them ran to the parlour. Gideon brought him behind the safety of the glass trying to look for something that would jog his memory. Rip stood in the middle, watching her in a confused fog. She was losing him.

“Gideon, we have to go!” yelled Sara as she and Jax barged in.

“Rip’s not going anywhere. He’s our prisoner, aren’t you Rip?” A trio of evil doppelgangers had followed them in and Sara sighed loudly.

Rip flinched back at the sight of them and shook his head. “I-I don’t know what’s real.” He pressed his hands to his head and squeezed his eyes closed. “Stop, just please stop!”

“Captain, look at me.” Gideon voice was soft as she pried his hands away and grasped his hands so she could feel her ring. “I’m real. I’m your Gideon, remember?” She pulled him down for a kiss, their first proper kiss in months. The earth shattering kind, just as their first and every kiss was.

And earth shattering and mind bending it was. A pulse of air released from the two of them and blew the evil clones out against the walls and into nothing. Gideon released Rip breathlessly, giving him a smile only meant for him.

“My Gideon,” he murmured, brushing his thumb over her lips.

“Rip, that you? What happened?” Jax looked around the empty room just as it began shaking and rumbling underneath them. “Are you you again?”

“I’m still a little fuzzy on the details, but I think so, mostly. Though, I’m not quite sure what it means to be Rip Hunter anymore.” He looked at Gideon apologetically and she squeezed his hand in response. “But what I do know is we have to get out of here.”

“What’s happening?” Sara let out a cry as the floor shook again, throwing them all over the ship.

“This place was a mind prison. Now that Captain Hunter remembers who he is, it’s collapsing,” said Gideon.

“We need to leave.”

“Yes, thank you both for everything you’ve done for me. Now go,” insisted Rip.

“You had better be there when we wake up,” said Sara. She nodded to Jax and they pressed the buttons on their wristbands and disappeared.

Another shockwave hit them and Rip caught Gideon in his arms and held her tightly. “Can you make it stop?”

Gideon shook her head. “It’s your mind. I have no control over it, only you do.”

“I don’t know how.”

“Wake up. It’s the safest way.” She touched his cheek softly and he turned his lips to kiss her palm.

“I owe you so much, my Gideon. Apologies and thank yous and everything.”

“You’ve already given me the world and more when you married me.”

Rip shook his head and stepped closer. “It’s not enough. I left you and I’m sorry.” He ignored the way the walls broke down around them. She needed to know this. “And I broke my vows to you, used your commands against you.”

“It wasn’t you, not really.”

“It doesn’t make it all right.” He took her hands in his and held her close. “You saved me today, and every day before that. You have kept me alive and guided me through all these years and stuck by my side through thick and thin.” The words sounded familiar to Gideon. “I know that I don’t deserve you and I know that I have caused you enough pain for several lifetimes but I still love you more than anything, Gideon. I don’t know much about myself anymore but I know that. And if you’ll have me I would like to be your husband again.”

“You never stopped,” she said, voice breaking. Only he could do this to her. Reduce her to actual emotions. “I knew I was never widowed, you didn’t break your promise. You came back to me. The only more pain you could cause me is by not staying with me, a lifetime without you, even a second of not knowing where you are, is pain.”

“I swear to do right by you.”

“I know you will.” She sniffled and took a deep breath before looking up at him again. “And you can start by waking up. If you don’t, I lose you all over again and all this will have been for nothing.”

“But you won’t be there.”

“Not like this. But you know I am with you, always.” She pressed a hand to his heart. “In here. Forever.” He promised her she would be.

He placed a hand over hers. “Will I see you again?”

“Of course. I will see you in your dreams tonight, Rip.” The weight of his name carried all her love for him. She hardly ever used it but meant it with every letter of her code. “I love you more than I have ever known how to. Forever and always.”

And then she woke her husband with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos/comments?


End file.
